Here’s an early look at the particulars for Wale’s upcoming album, The Gifted, after details finally hit the ‘net. While Wiz Khalifa, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and others have guest slots, the album doesn’t seem to include the usual heavy dosages of MMG that we’ve grown accustomed to from the label.

The Gifted goes to retail on June 25th. Like it, then pre-order it here.

Dear Wale,
I will no longer be paying for any of your music. You fooled me once with Attention Deficit. I had high hopes for your music after hearing the Back to the Feature mixtape. But your debut album was trash.
Sincerely,
Person who just saved $12.99

Is it weird that I’m looking forward to this album more than any of the others?

For one thing I feel like dudes finally paid his dues, so they can’t force him into a lane that’s not his anymore.

Folarin was definitely a return to form and I feel bad for anybody who knee jerk wrote it off just because of MMG affiliation or based on Ambition.

The Rosenthal brothers like it, and also call it a return to his go go roots.

He’s finally comfortable with what he wants to do musically. He’s experimented, people have gotten used to what should be his sound, and he actually has to make up for Ambition (which I maintain wasn’t that bad).

Seriously, he does what he wants and doesn’t give much of a f-word what people expect him to do. I respect that.

In the modern era of “nitpick everything to death because its the internet and we’re bored and don’t want to be productive at work”, if he was more consistent, we’d be hearing about how”one dimensional” he is. LOL

@Greed
I think that’s a reflection of his Montgomery County roots. I’m probably being way too philosophical/ smacked about this but the DC metro area is one of the more diverse places in the country and MoCo is one of the top 10 richest counties. There are a lot of different influences here and it may be that it is reflected in his lack of continuity… Then again, as Smarter got at, maybe that is his persona.

Geography plays a larger part in who we are than most of us care to admit.

Lived in Compton, went to private school in Bixby Knolls, an affluent neighborhood in Long Beach, then high school in Eastside LB, which is basically the hood all over again, but with more Cambodians. Lots of diversity in my upbringing so people never believe in from Compton. Also, I wind up feeling pretty uncomfortable and out of place wherever I go LOL.

Here’s the thing though, dude has released what, twenty projects? None of them are cohesive. He could have very well experimented and varied up his style AND released cohesive projects. But he hasn’t, so he does not have a clear vision as an artist. How would you describe him to somebody? “A dude who raps ok who does a whole bunch of different shit?” That does not sound appealing. That is not easy to sell.

I just find it odd you are all people are defending him for this Aaron, when I know cohesion is especially important to you.

I’ll always fuck with Wale cuz he will never switch his slang up. Got a song clappas with Nicki Minaj as a feature? I’m already hip Wale. Niggas gon have they own opinions but I’m gonna listen to it and support if it’s ill. Son been shouting out the DMV since 2006 and nobody was complaining when he gave them an anthem for their Nike Boots, nor was niggas saying anything when son had TCB on the MTV Awards as the live band. The biggest go-go band that’s known outside the area other than the late Chuck Brown (RIP) is Rare Essence and that’s because Jay-Z bit the fuck outta them on Do It Again (Put your hands up). Son has always been the way he is. He’s really the only DMV rapper was able to cross the border. NO ONE was checking around here for rappers at a mainstream level. Wale changed that. I give credit where it’s due so imma support.

I will always be a Wale fan even if I don’t like all of his music. He really did put the area on the map. The dude is a talented lyricist regardless of whether or not people only want to focus on his weaker stuff.